Loading tray for recoiling gun



July 28, 1964 A. G. cARLssoN 3,142,225

LOADING TRAY FOR RECOILING GUN Filed Feb. 12, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ARENT GUST/W CARLSSO/V A r TORHEYS ly y 1964 A. G.- CARLSS-ON 3,1

LOADING TRAY FOR RECOILING GUN Filed Feb. 12, 1963 INVENTOR. ARENT 605774 V ARL-SSON BY HMMW A 1- raR/VE YS A. G. cARLsoN LOADING TRAY FOR RECOILING GUN July 28, 1964 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 12, 1963 INVENTOR AREA/T GUSMV CARLSSON A rranurrs United States atent 3,142,226 LOADING TRAY FGR RECOILING GUN Arent Gustav Carlsson, Karlskoga, Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolaget Bofors, Bofors, Sweden, a Swedish corporation Filed Feb. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 257,999 Claims priority, application Sweden Apr. 8, 1959 7 Claims. (Cl. 89-45) This invention relates to recoiling guns and, more par ticularly, to a recoiling type gun having a loading tray that is guided by parallel levers for movement between a position in which the round is rammed into the breech of the gun and a position in which the recoiling parts can freely pass the loading tray.

The present invention is a continuation-in-part ap plication of co-pending application Ser. No. 20,758 filed April 7, 1960.

Heretofore, it has not been possible to effect the auto matic ramming of heavy rounds; that is, rounds with a caliber of more than ten to twelve centimeters and a weight substantially exceeding approximately 50 kg. Accordingly, loading trays have been used for field guns only to facilitate the manual ramming of such heavy rounds. Automatic ramming of heavy rounds has been practical only for turret guns where there are no space limitations that prevent the use of a long ramming path. The use of a short ramming path requires that the ramming force of the rammer must be so great that there is a risk that the round will be damaged during such ramming action. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a loading tray which will facilitate the automatic ramming of heavy rounds of ammunition with out damaging such ammunition, even when a short ramming path is employed for the rammer.

In accordance with the present invention, the fore going object is achieved by providing the loading tray with a spring actuated rammer which is cocked during the first part of the movement of the loading tray toward the ramming position, and which is released during the last part of such movement. The loading tray is supported in a manner which causes it to move approximately in the ramming direction simultaneously with its movement toward the ramming position.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of the loading tray assembly, the loading tray being shown in its elevated or loading position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view, with parts broken away, of a source of spring force in the assembly for moving the loading tray into and out of the ramming position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the loading tray as sembly showing the tray in its lowered or ramming position.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a sub-assembly in the loading tray assembly compensating for changes in the distribution of the masses due to changes in the elevational position of the gun.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the ramming operation in one stage of the operation.

FIG. 6 is a similar diagrammatic view showing the ramming operation in another stage of the operation, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the ram mer control in the loading tray assembly.

Referring now to the figures in detail, the loading tray assembly as exemplified is shown in operative association with a recoiling gun. The gun is only shown to the extent that is necessary to the understanding of the invention and should be visualized as being conventional. There is shown a frame plate 1 which is carried by an elevating part of the gun and a breach ring 2 which constitutes part of the recoiling assembly of the gun.

A loading tray 3 is swingably mounted with respect to plate 1. and is supported for this purpose by four parallel levers 4, S, 6 and 7 which swing about pivots 70. Levers 5, 6 and 4, 7 are linked by links 50 and 51 respectively, and levers 6 and 7 are linked on one end to each other and the tray structure by a hollow shaft 72. The other ends of levers d and 7 are seated on shafts 18 pivotally mounted on an elevating part of the gun. The loading tray is equipped in a conven tional manner with latches or clamps 8, 9, it and 11 which retain a round of ammunition placed upon the tray in its proper position to prevent displacement of the round while the loading tray is in motion. In the elevated position of the tray, which is shown in FIG. 1 the loading tray and the parts associated therewith are out of the path of the recoiling movement of the breech ring and in the lowered or ramming position of the tray, the round of ammunition placed on the tray is in alignment with the breech opening for ramming the round into the breech ring in a manner which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The loading tray supports a shaft 13 which is rotatable but spatially fixed in reference to the frame structure of the loading tray. Shaft 13 mounts a rammer 12 which is fixedly secured on the shaft to swing the rammer rom a cocked position shown in FIG. 7 through its ramming arc. The rammer is retained in its cocked position by any suitable means shown as a latch 60 pivotally mounted on an arm 61 which, in turn, is hinged at 62 to a part of the tray structure. A spring 63 urges latch 60 into latching engagement with a nose 17 on rammer 12. A pivotal lug 64 locks arm 51 and the components associated therewith in the shown position. Release of rammer 12 may be effected by turning lug 64 manually or automatically out of engagement with arm 61. Means for controlling the rammer in this manner are well known in the art and do not constitute part of the present invention. They are described for instance in Patent 2,700,539 to Aldrin.

A two-part drum is supported on shaft 13. The drum comprises a cylindrical portion 14a which is secured to the tray structure and a generally cap shaped portion 14 at each end of the cylindrical portion. Both caps 14 are rotatable in reference to shaft 13 and to cylindrical portion 14a. Each cap accommodates a coil-type torsion spring 15 (the arrangement is the same at both ends of the drum formed by portions 14 and 14a and hence the arrangement of only one of the springs is shown and described.) Spring 15 is secured at its inner end to shaft 13 and at its outer end to cap 14. The cap is linked to lever 5 by means of a connecting link 16. Accordingly, a swinging movement of loading tray 3 and drum 14, from the elevated position of FIG. 1 into the ramming position of FIG. 3 by means of levers 4, 5, 6 and 7, as will be more fully described hereinafter, causes rotation of the drum cap 14 in reference to shaft 13 and of course also in reference to cylindrical drum portion 14a secured to the frame structure of the loading tray. This rotation of cap 14 is in counterclockwise direction, that is opposite to the direction of the arrow shown on the face side of cap 14 and thus causes a corresponding loading of torsion spring 15. Shaft 13 is held by latch 60 and rammer 12 should be assumed to be in the cocked position of FIG. 7 during such movement of the tray assembly in general and drum cap 14 in particular. Just before the loading tray 3 reaches the ramming position of FIG. 3, rammer 12 is released by withdrawal of catch 60 in the manner previously described. Since, as previously stated, rammer 12 is fixedly mounted on shaft 13 and this shaft is subject to a rotational force by the aforedescribed loading of springs 15. The shaft now free to turn due to the release of rammer 12, will turn the latter in counterclockwise direction, that is in the ramming direction as springs 15 are unwound by the rotation of shaft 13 in reference to drum caps 1.4.

The combined movement of the loading tray and the rammer effect a rapid ramming of a round of ammunition placed upon tray 3 in any suitable manner which does not constitute part of the invention. To cushion the loading tray just prior to the end of said ramming movement, lever 6 which is one of the levers about which the loading tray is swinging, is provided with a lug 19. This lug may be secured either directly to the lever, or as shown it may be secured to shaft 18 on which lever 6 is mounted. The lug strikes against a stationary buffer 20, thus braking the last part of the movement of the loading tray into its ramming position.

When the loading tray is returned into the elevated position shown in FIG. 1, link 16 linking lever to drum cap 14 will rotate said cap in a clockwise direction, that 'is in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1 on cap 14. As a result spring swings rammer 12 back into its cocked position in which the rammer is again secured by engagement of catch 6!? with nose 17 as described in connection with FIG. 7.

Movement of the loading tray from one position into the other in either direction is effected by torsion springs and 26 disposed in drums 21 and 22 mounted on opposite sides of the tray. Each of the drums is rotatable about a shaft 23 and 24 respectively to which are secured levers 5 and 4 respectively. As both drums are of identical construction and function, only one of the drums and the parts associated therewith are described in detail. A two-arm lever 45 is fixedly mounted on shaft 23 of drum 21 for rotation jointly with the shaft. The torsion coil springs 25 and 26 are secured at their inner ends to shaft 23 and at their Outer ends to the drum. During the run-out of the recoiling parts of the gun in the direction indicated in FIG. 1, a dog 27 on breech ring 2 will engage lever 45 and turn the lever in clockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, that is, dog 27 will engage the lower arm of the lever When the dog moves from a position to the right of the lever toward the left of FIG. 6. The lever when turning in clockwise direction engages a nose 28 on drum 21 thereby rotating the drum also in clockwise direction. Shaft 23 is prevented from turning by engagement of a lug 36 on lever 5 with a stationary catch 29. As a result rotating of drum 21 by the agency of lever 45 and nose 28 will load springs 25 and 26 in drum 21. Unwinding of springs 25 and 26 is prevented by a spring-loaded catch 31 protruding into a circumferential slot 32 in the cylindrical wall of the drum and engaging the lower edge of the slot as shown in FIG. 2. Catch 31 is releasable by means of a nose 33 moving along slot 32 when shaft 23 is rotated in clockwise direction. To eifect such joint movement of shaft 23 and nose 33, the latter is formed on a disk 100 secured to the shaft. When springs 25 and 26 are loaded, as previously described, nose 33 is in the position shown in FIG. 2. As it is evident withdrawal or" catch 29 from nose 3%) by any suitable manually or automatically operated means which do not constitute part of the present invention, will free shaft 23 and hence the loaded coil springs 25 and 26 will turn shaft 23 in clockwise direction. Nose 33 moving along slot 32 will push aside catch 31 and drum 21 is now free to turn in counter-clockwise direction taking along shaft 23.

In addition to springs 25 and 26, drum 21 houses a third torsion coil spring 34, the outer end of which is secured to drum 21 and the inner end to a sleeve rotatable on shaft 23. Spring 34 will be loaded at the same time as springs 25 and 26 when drum 21 is rotated in clockwise direction as previously described, but since sleeve 35 may remain stationary relative to a rotation of shaft 23 therewithin, the spring 34 will remain loaded when springs 25 and 26 are released upon rotation of shaft 23 due to a withdrawal of catch 29 from nose 30 on lever 5. Only when drum 21 is freed from catch 31, spring 34 can be partly unwound by rotating drum 21 and shaft 23 in counter-clockwise direction. Such unwinding of spring 34 is utilized to elevate the loading tray from its ramming position into the loading position of FIG. 1 in which it is secured by re-engagement of catch 29 with nose 30.

Assuming now that the elevation of the gun is -increased, then a greater amount of force is needed to ram a round but less force to lift the loading tray from its ramming position into itsloading position. To compensate for such changes in the required forces, special compensating means are provided. These compensating means can best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. They comprise lengthwise recesses 36 and 37 in the outer surface of sleeve 35. Recess 36 is engaged by a lug 38 axially extending from a sleeve 39 secured on shaft 23. For purpose of clarity of illustration, lug 38 is shown in FIG. 2 withdrawn from engagement with recess 36 but actually lug 38 is received Within the recess. FIGS. 1 and 3 show sleeve 39 in its actual position. Recess 37 receives a lug 41 formed on the inside of a sleeve 40 from which extends an arm 40a. As it is evident, both sleeves 39 and 40 can perform a limited rotational movement in reference to sleeve 35 and thus also in reference to shaft 23. Arm 40a is connected by links 42, 43, 44 and 46 to a nonelevating part 47 of the gun such as the trunnion bearings of the gun.

As it is evident, the just-described linkage will cause rotation of sleeve 49 in clockwise direction when the elevation of the gun is increased and, similarly, it will cause rotation of sleeve 40 in counter-clockwise direction when the elevation of the gun is decreased, thus changing the loading of spring 34 in accordance with changes in the elevational position of the gun. When sleeve 40 is turned in clockwise direction upon elevating the gun, lug 38 prevents rotation of sleeve 35 in clockwise direction due to the action of loaded spring 34. As a result, spring 34 tries to turn shaft 23 clockwise by means of sleeve 35 and lug 38, that is in the same direction in which springs 25 and 26 try to turn shaft 23. Similarly, when the gun is depressed, spring 34 by means of sleeve 35 and lug 38 opposes rotation of shaft 23 in the direction in which the shaft is urged by springs 25 and 26, thus varying the required ramming and lifting forces of the tray assembly in accordance with the elevational position of the gun.

During the first part of a downward movement of the loading tray, spring 34 coacts with springs 25 and 26, but as soon as the respective edge of recess 36 becomes engaged with lug 41 sleeve 35 is prevented from turning further in clockwise direction while shaft 23 continues its clockwise movement due to the action of springs 25 and 26 until the loading tray has completed its downward movement braked by engagement of lug 19 with buffer 20.

Let it be assumed that the loading tray is in its upper position shown in FIG. 1 ready to receive a round and that all three springs in drums 21 and 22 respectively are unwound. Let it further be assumed that a round has been fired and that recoil is taking place. During the run-out of the recoiling parts, dog 27 will turn lever 45 clockwise. As a result drum 21 will be turned clockwise, shaft 23 being held stationary due to engagement of lug 30 on lever 5 with catch 29. Catch 33 on disk will slide along groove 32 as drum 21 turns and springs 25, 26 and 34 will be loaded. Springs 15 are not loaded yet. To effect ramming of a new round, the round is placed upon the loading tray and catch 29 is withdrawn by suitable means. While the tray is descending, the combined action of gravity and springs 25 and 26 will turn the shaft 23 in clockwise direction. As a result, springs 25 and 26 become unwound but spring 34 remains loaded since its inner end is not secured to shaft 23 but to sleeve 35 rotatable on Shaft 23. During the downward movement of the loading tray, rammer 12 is kept stationary relative to the loading tray by catch 60, but drum cap 14 to which the outer end of spring 15 is secured will turn counter-clockwise, thereby loading spring 15. Rotation of cap 14 is effected by link 16 connected to lever 5. About 15 degrees short of the lower end position of tray 3 in which position lug 19 engages buffer 26, catch 17 is released by any suitable means and rammer 12 will be pivoted in counter-clockwise direction by the action of spring 15. As a result the speed at which a round 15 rammed is accelerated while at the same time the swinging movement of the loading tray is braked. When the loading tray reaches its lowermost position shaft 23 has turned to an angular position such that nose 33 reaches the respective end of slot 32 and pushes catch 31 out of the slot. The force of still loaded spring 34 can now turn the drum in counter-clockwise direction and such movement will be transferred to shaft 23 by means of springs 25 and 26 due to the inherent stiffness of the springs even though the same are unwound. As a result the levers 4, 5, 6 and 7 will swing the loading tray back towards its upward position and during such upward movement of the loading tray drum cap 14 will be turned in clockwise direction. The stiff though unwound spring 15 will transmit such movement to rammer 12 until the same is again locked by catch 17. If now the next round is fired and the recoil starts again the same cycle will be repeated.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended therefore to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a recoiling gun, a loading tray adapted to carry a round of ammunition, a rammer including a spring carried by said tray, a shaft for movably supporting said rammer, movable means concentrically disposed relative to the axis of said shaft, said spring being connected at one end thereof to said shaft and being connected at another end thereof to said movable means, a plurality of levers movably connected to said tray for supporting said tray, means responsive to the recoil of the gun and connected to said levers for moving said tray and said rammer between spaced apart round loading and round ramming positions, means connected to said movable means and to said levers for loading said spring in the initial movement of said tray to said round ramming position, and means responsive to the position of said tray for releasing said loaded spring to have said rammer accelerate ramming the round in the ramming direction of the gun.

2. In a recoiling gun as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spring is a torsion spring, said torsion spring being loaded in the initial movement of said tray to said round ramming position by relative movement in opposite directions between said shaft and said movable means.

3. In a recoiling gun as set forth in claim 1, wherein said recoil responsive means includes a rotatable shaft, means concentrically disposed relative to said shaft, and a spring connected to said shaft at one end thereof and connected to said concentrically disposed means at the other end thereof, said shaft and said concentrically disposed means being rotatable with respect to one another for loading said spring, said shaft being connected to said tray supporting means for actuating said tray supporting means, said shaft being rotated when said spring is unloaded, the recoil of the gun rotating said shaft relative to said concentric means.

4. In a recoiling gun as set forth in claim 3, including another spring connected to a movable member supported on said shaft at one end thereof and connected to said concentric means, said other spring being loaded by relative movement between said concentric means and said shaft, means connected to said member and to said shaft for holding said member in place, said other spring being adapted to rotate said shaft in a direction to change the position of said tray from said ramming position to said loading position after said one spring is unloaded.

5. In a recoiling gun as set forth in claim 4, including means connected to said member for rotating said member relative to said shaft in accordance with the elevation of the gun for changing the loading of said other spring.

6. In a. recoiling gun as set forth in claim 4, including means disposed in the path of said member and engageable therewith as the elevation of the gun is increased to hold said member in place relative to said other spring, means for connecting said member to said shaft to have said other spring rotate said shaft when said other spring is unloaded.

7. In a recoiling gun as set forth in claim 1, wherein said recoil responsive means includes a plurality of rotatable shafts, a plurality of drums concentrically supported respectively on said shafts, a plurality of springs connected to each of said shafts at one end thereof and connected respectively to each of said drums, said shafts being connected to said tray supporting means for actuating said tray supporting means, a sleeve rotatably supported on each of said shafts, another spring connected to said sleeve at one end thereof and to said drum at an other end thereof, said shafts being rotatable with respect to said drums for loading said springs, said drums being rotated in one direction relative to said shafts due to the recoil of the gun for loading said springs, locking means for holding said drum in place when said springs are loaded, said shafts being adapted to be rotated in another direction with said drums, a rotatable lever connected to said sleeves, said lever being rotatable in accordance with the elevation of the gun for controlling the loading of said other springs, said sleeves being held in place in one direction of rotation of said lever by means connected respectively to said shafts, said other springs being adapted to rotate said shafts in said other direction when unloaded.

De Courseulles Apr. 8, 1930 Hultgren et a1. Sept. 16, 1958 

1. IN A RECOILING GUN, A LOADING TRAY ADAPTED TO CARRY A ROUND OF AMMUNITION, A RAMMER INCLUDING A SPRING CARRIED BY SAID TRAY, A SHAFT FOR MOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID RAMMER, MOVABLE MEANS CONCENTRICALLY DISPOSED RELATIVE TO THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT, SAID SPRING BEING CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID SHAFT AND BEING CONNECTED AT ANOTHER END THEREOF TO SAID MOVABLE MEANS, A PLURALITY OF LEVERS MOVABLY CONNECTED TO SAID TRAY FOR SUPPORTING SAID TRAY, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE RECOIL OF THE GUN AND CONNECTED TO SAID LEVERS FOR MOVING SAID TRAY AND SAID RAMMER BETWEEN SPACED APART ROUND LOADING AND ROUND RAMMING POSITIONS, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID MOVABLE MEANS AND TO SAID LEVERS FOR LOADING SAID SPRING IN THE INITIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID TRAY TO SAID ROUND RAMMING POSITION, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE POSITION OF SAID TRAY FOR RELEASING SAID LOADED SPRING TO HAVE SAID RAMMER ACCELERATE RAMMING THE ROUND IN THE RAMMING DIRECTION OF THE GUN. 